Hard Choices
by poxelda
Summary: Mac has to decide which one of his friends must die. (No character death, warning for language)


"Dammit, be careful will you?" The nurse glared at him. Jack growled glaring back. He hated to go to non-Phoenix medical centers, especially ones where no one spoke English. He supposed he shouldn't complain. Being in the tundras of the Antarctic there wasn't a lot of choices. Of course, the bad guys had to be from the Russian Mob.

The closest outpost was Chinese. While Jack did speak Mandarin, no matter what Mac said, he did not speak whatever dialect the handful of medical staff spoke. He vaguely remembered Mac mumbling about Uyghur. Jack had no idea what that was and he was too busy passing out to ask. Jack squirmed. He'd hadn't been counting but he thought he'd beaten his personal best. 52 stitches had been, Jack had fallen into a fog at 75. That's what happens when you're stabbed with a two foot long bayonet, he supposed.

A moan beside him drew his attention. Jack winced. Bozer looked terrible. His face was swollen, his eyes closed and at least two teeth had been knocked out. He sported a brace on his shoulder and a cast on his arm. The medic finished with Jack and handed him the same red shirt they all wore. Jack jumped down and had to brace himself on Bozer's cot. Boze's eyes opened a crack.

"J...ck…"  
"Take it easy, Boze." Bozer managed a smile.

"What, you think I'm going to go join the olympic team?" Bozer's voice was weak and wobbly, but he was still trying to be cheerful through the pain. He'd earned a whole new level of respect. Bozer scanned the room. Jack could see memory seep into the blood red eyes. He put hands on Bozer's shoulders to stop the younger man from bolting upright. Bozer leaned back sucking in air when he flinched trying to move. Jack waited for the waves of pain to settle.

"Where is he?" Bozer asked softly. Jack patted Bozer's chest softly knowing the kid with him felt the same pain as he did, and it had nothing to do with their injuries.

"He's helping Riley build some sort of gizmo to call Matty."

"Is he ok?" Jack looked away tears burning his own reddened eyes.

"I don't think so." Bozer nodded.

"Of course he isn't, stupid question." Bozer moaned. Jack thought about forcing the man to stay put, but figured if Bozer shouldn't be upright he'd find out pretty damn quick. He steadied Boze. His skin took on a grey tinge. Jack leaned down to Bozer's eye level.

"Are you ok?" Bozer managed a gap-toothed smile.

"What's a few broken bones between amigos." Jack smiled wincing at the cut on his chin pulling. Bozer eyed him seriously, "Jack are we ok?" Jack stared at Bozer surprised.

"How could you even ask that? Of course, we are. Mac knew my choice long before he had to make his-bastards!" Jack growled. He rubbed his knuckles wishing he'd had a chance to pummel more gangsters for what they put Mac through. Bozer's hand on his shoulder pulled him back to the present.

"You know I would have been ok if he'd picked me instead." Jack's eyes dampened and he wrapped Bozer in a careful hug. He leaned his head on Bozer's shoulder.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that, buddy." He whispered. He could see Bozer's Adam's apple bob. Bozer pulled away and stared at the floor.

"It's...uh...part of the job, right?" Bozer's soft warble gave Jack a bad taste in his mouth.

"Sometimes, kiddo." Grimacing he climbed onto the cart beside the young agent, "The first time's the worst…" Jack looked at Bozer his head cocked. Bozer squirmed under the intensity of Jack's gaze.

"Bozer, it's ok to not be ok for awhile." Tears oozed from Bozer's swollen eyes.

"I never...It hurt real bad, Jack. You know I'd see a look in Mac's eyes when he'd come home hurt. A...haunted distant look, but I never would have dreamed he could be going through something like this...and still function. Let alone keep up his cover story. Is it always this bad?" Bozer glanced up at Jack out the corner of his eye. Jack cracked his knuckles one by one trying to work out the stiffness and pain.

"Honestly, Boze? It can get a whole world of worse." Bozer gulped. He closed his eyes as if he were about to be struck with the crowbar again.

"How do you do it?" Bozer's voice was barely a whisper, "Do you learn to ignore the pain?"

"Bozer, you can never ignore the pain. I dunno, everyone gets through it their own way. I know Mac goes away in his head a lot, but the memories always come back later to bite him in the ass. Riley-"

"Riley's been tortured too?" Bozer's eyes widened with alarm. Jack's face looked like a guilty thundercloud.

"I'm afraid so, Bozer," Jack smiled a sad, proud smile, "She told me once she got through it by imagining what I'd do to those assholes when I caught them." Bozer frowned.

"And did you?" Jack's smile sent chills up Bozer's spine.

"Oh, yeah I did. I'll never let my baby girl down if I can humanly prevent it, or any of you. You know I think of you as one of my kid's too, right?" Boze cleared his throat and nodded.

"Thanks, Jack...I know we can always count on you." Jack looked down sad.

"Not always."

"Humanly possible, Jack. You...none of us had a choice…" Bozer trailed off realizing what he'd said.

"This is gonna kill him." He said looking up as two snow caked figures entered the med center in a flurry of wind and ice.

"No it won't," Jack hissed in his ear. Bozer looked at Jack confused. Jack smiled warmly, "We won't let it." Jack held out a fist. Bozer nodded and bumped it.

"Damn right, bro."

After they shucked a foot of snow then another foot of cold gear red faced shivering Mac and Riley stepped into the room and paused at the stove rubbing their hands over it. Riley stepped to Bozer and Jack. She hugged both of them gently.

"I am so glad to see you awake. You had me worried a minute there." Jack pulled her in tighter. He could feel her trembling.

"You won't get rid of me that easily, girl. And you know Bozer-"

"Unbreakable!" Bozer winced as he moved his shoulder, "Mostly." Riley's soft eyes looked into his with understanding. She pulled him in closer.

"I'm sorry I wasn't faster. If I had-"

"No, Riley this isn't on you. If it wasn't for you things could have been a lot worse." Jack glanced over to his partner. Mac was leaning toward the glowing heating element. He knew the kid was avoiding joining them. Jack put a little volume in his voice.

"It isn't anyone's fault except the Russian scumbags who did it." Jack and Bozer shared a worried look when they saw Mac physically flinch. Riley noticed the look and stared at Mac curiously. She opened her mouth to ask Jack, but the older man shook his head. Riley nodded and continued on as if she hadn't paused.

"We got through to Matty she says exfil should be here in twenty."

"What? Really?" Bozer asked a gleam peeking from his swollen eyelids. Riley grinned. They would all be happier at home.

"She'd already had a destroyer in the area waiting to hear from us." Riley glanced at Mac's back and shot Jack a confused frown. Jack sighed gathering himself. Enough was enough. He couldn't hide the soft grunt of pain as he slid to standing. Mac half turned his face pale with alarm. He hurried over and steadied Jack.

"Are you ok? You should rest." Mac's voice was a whisper of guilt and self-hatred. Jack reached out and grabbed Mac's shoulder. Mac flinched as if Jack had burned his flesh.

"We're fine, are you ok?" Jack studied him. Mac's eyes dropped and he gently eased away from Jack.

"Of course, I am. I don't have a scratch on me." Jack winced at the bitterness in Mac's voice. Before he could dig, Riley piped up with the exact wrong thing.

"How did you manage that? Some technical miracle?" Riley hadn't been there; she didn't know. She realized she'd put her mouth in deep when Mac paled another few shades and looked like he was going to pass out or puke. His mouth opened. Jack wasn't sure if he was going to reply or scream. Before he could do either, they all heard the heart throb of helicopter rotors. Mac ducked his head and wordlessly guided Jack toward exfil. Jack tried to pull Mac in closer, but the kid wasn't having it.

"We aren't done talking about this." Jack said as he painfully eased into the jumpseat behind the pilot. Jack realized his mistake when Mac shot him a look of terror. Mac scooted across the helicopter with inhuman speed to help Bozer get comfortable, "Not like that, dammit." Jack growled. He knew his voice didn't carry far past his own ears.

The next three days, they didn't talk about it or much of anything. Mac waited on Jack and Bozer hand and foot, but did so without much more than monosyllables as he scurried attending to their every whim making no eye contact.

"Jack, what are we going to do? This can't go on." Bozer said when Mac went to the store to buy him a hot water bottle because Bozer mentioned it as a joke. Jack rubbed his face.

"I don't know, Boze, we need an intervention before he drops."

"I don't think he's slept or eaten since we got back."

"What little he has eaten, he throws back up. Goddamn them." Jack leaned back. Russian torturers knew their work. They had hurt Mac the worst way Mac could be hurt.

"Hello, boys!" Matty called as she strolled into the living room. She carried bags of take out. Riley followed carrying brown bags of groceries.

"Matty! Hey!" Jack grinned. Matty and Riley hugged the two men.

"We got groceries in there." Bozer said his wide eyes never leaving the take out. His mouth watered. Matty rolled her eyes.

"You don't have to pretend, Bozer." She set the food on the table. Bozer didn't answer as he tugged out white cartons and began to pile food on a plate. Matty smiled pleased.

"I thought you'd be getting tired of Mac and Cheese, Pizza and hotdogs." Everyone knew Mac couldn't cook to save his life. Bozer and Jack shared a guilty look.

"Nah, it's fine, Matty." Bozer said.

"How is he?" Riley asked. Jack rubbed his forehead.

"He's killing himself. He won't listen to us when we tell him he did the right thing."  
"What do you expect, Jack? They made him choose between his two best friends and you would have died." Jack huffed and sat back wincing at the tear in his side. The stitches were starting to itch.

"I know that. He knows I would have made the same choice, any of us would have." Matty put a hand on the Delta's knee.

"I'm glad Riley was able to crash the servers in time. The world wouldn't be the same without you, Jack." Jack smiled and opened his mouth to answer. He froze looking over her head. They all turned. Mac stood in the doorway holding bags round with stuff. He stared at the group. Tears ran down his face. Jack stood up and ran for his friend. He didn't make it. Mac dropped the bags and dashed out the door.

"Mac, stop!" Jack reached the door in time to see a distraught Mac spinning out of the driveway. Jack gritted his teeth and spun kicking one of the bags, "Goddammit!" He roared.

"Ok, Riley?" Matty said pulling out her phone.

"On it." Riley said as she yanked out her rig and began tapping. Jack glanced at Bozer. Bozer awkwardly wobbled to his feet. Jack helped the younger man to the door.

"Text us the location!"

"Will do." Jack buckled Bozer in then hopped in the Vette grimacing as his side tugged. He took off in the general direction Mac took.

"Where would he go?" Bozer asked leaning forward looking for any sign of the Jeep. Jack shook his head. He was having a hard time getting past the look on Mac's face. It was the same look Mac had when he condemned Jack to what they thought was inevitable death.

 _Jack could feel the blood slick down his legs as it soaked through his Jeans. Bozer moaned. Jack breathed in relief. It had been hard watching the young agent get such a severe beating. It had taken all Jack had in him to stay stoic when they brought out the baseball bat. He hadn't been able to hide the flinches everytime Bozer's body slapped with impact and a bone snapped loud enough to hear across the small ice cave._

 _Jack had been worried for Mac. Mac watched them his eyes blank, his face empty. He wasn't with them, he'd curled in on his own horror playing in a loop in his head. Jack knew that in a way Mac had already braced himself for their death. Planning to deal with the worst crisis in any situation was Mac's odd way of dealing with overwhelming situations. Sometimes, Jack knew, it backfired and backfired hard._

 _He and Bozer had been beaten. Mac had been given a comfortable chair, water, offered a decent meal, even a cigar. Classic divide the subjects 101. Mac knew that, they all did. That didn't make it work any less. Mac was cracking. Jack tried to keep Mac's eye giving him what silent support he could. If it had been just him and Mac, Jack thought it would never have worked. They had worked together long enough they knew exactly what the other was thinking and planning. But Bozer-That had been hell on both of them, especially Mac. Through the iron wall Mac built to protect himself, Jack could see another chip cracked away with every one of Bozer's whimpers and giant cracks break through with every scream. Jack had been proud, Mac held firm, but he was breaking and dying inside little by little._

 _Then the bastards got clever. They used a crane to hold Bozer and Jack above a cliff. Even with the bright reflecting snow, Jack couldn't see the bottom. He could see jutting rocks and long daggers of ice. There was no way to survive falling._

 _"You are very brave, Mr. MacCarter-or you truly do not care what happens to these men. I think it's the former. Tell us all of the names, and they will live. Stay quiet…" The gangster had pushed a button on a tablet and Bozer and Jack had dropped ten feet. Both men had cried out in pain as they were slowly cranked back up. Mac had leapt forward naked panic on his eyes. Jack could see the waves of rage, despair then defeat. Mac spilled all of the names._

 _Jack would never blame Mac for that. Every man has a breaking point. Sometimes it's pain, sometimes it's fear, and sometimes it's love. After, Mac sat fidgeting biting his fingernail his eyes scanning the room desperately looking for some way out. All of them knew the Russians would not keep their word. They did, partially. After checking the info, the head suited Russian smiled at Mac as if he was going to eat him._

 _"Very good Mr. MacGyver. This is the beginning of a long, beautiful partnership. To show I am not a heartless man-I will let one of your friends live."_

 _"What? NO!" All of Mac's stoicism crumbled. He stood up his fists balled. Even then their captures didn't hit him, only shoved him into the chair and holding him, painfully._

 _"Choose or they both die." The head Russian snapped. He pulled out the tablet. Jack looked up. He could hear the pulley motors over their heads turn on. They slowly cranked higher toward the roof. Jack tried to meed Mac's eyes._

 _"Mac, it's ok! You hear me, it's ok." Jack yelled. He twisted so he could see his partner. Mac's face was a mask of horror, then there was a tiny black flicker in the kid's eyes. A switch turned and Jack saw the life leave Mac's eyes. Jack took a breath and braced himself he nodded at Mac and glanced at Bozer who softly cried beside him._

 _"It's ok, Boze…" He muttered._

 _"Enough, decide! The young ignorant one or the old fool!"_

 _"Who you calling old-?" Jack growled. His heart bled as Mac looked down. His shoulders slumped._

 _"Jack, " Mac looked up. Mac's eyes screamed at him I'M SORRY. Before Jack could offer a last word of support, he was falling._

"Jack? You with me?" Jack jolted awake startled. He winced at the chorus of horns behind him. He shot Bozer a sheepish look. Bozer's eyes were understanding. Jack cleared his throat.

"We have a location?"

Mac rocked back and forth. He shivered but refused to put on his jacket. The ocean around him was angry pounding the surf with the casual brutality Mac hated about nature. Seagulls screamed overhead, their voices sounding like wounded soldiers on a battlefield. The churning black-green clouds hung low filled with heaven's tears. Soon they burst free. Mac was alone on the beach. It's abandoned desolation spread around him as empty as the world inside him.

I made the right choice. He said to himself for the billionth time; it still sounded as phony as a mirror's smile. Over and over it played in his head. Watching his two best friends get pummelled and broken as he sat in a lazy boy being offered tea and crumpets. Mac buried his face in his crossed arms. The sky snapped and broke. Mac jumped at the lightening and thunder. Soon the storm would be hear. Mac watched the irregular waves. Sea debris swirled in their depths showing the power of their churning. Swinging like ropes over an ice cliff.

 _Choose or they both die._ How could he possibly choose? Mac had tried to throw himself off the cliff so he'd be free of the burden. They held him fast. No matter what he did the world screamed. _Choose or they both die._ Mac's answer had been simple math. Cold, cruel math. He and Jack both knew people in their line of work never retired. Live by the gun, die by the gun was a motto Jack had taught him. Jack had told him it would be ok, told him to choose him. He was older, had lived more...Would forgive him? The wet running down his face was too warm to be rain.

Rather than face the guilt of seeing his oldest friend, his more innocent friend die-he sacrificed his brother, his partner, his father-Mac blocked out the world by burying his eyes in his arm. The storm broke and sheets of rain soaked Mac instantly. His sobs were hidden under the fury of nature around him and his shaking could have been from the freezing chill. Could have been.

Over and over it played. Jack trying to be brave. Trying to tell Mac he made the right choice. Then at the second he dropped, the panic...pain... Mac had seen a note of pride he didn't understand...and guilt. Jack felt guilty for letting Mac down, for letting him be put into the position he had to make such a hard choice. Mac sobbed harder. Never was there an instant of betrayal or blame. There didn't have to be. Mac felt enough for the whole team.

Riley had saved the day, crashing the tablet's controls over the motors. Jack had stopped abruptly and judging by his scream of agony-painfully. Mac's brain edited that part out. He had already chosen. He had already murdered Jack.

"Damn, dude, you pick the worst weather to sulk in." Jack. Of course. Mac buried his face in his arms deeper. He couldn't face Jack's unconditional love, it hurt too much. He wanted to tell Jack off, drive him away, make him hate Mac...Mac only sobbed harder wishing lightning would strike him dead.

"Aw, kid." Jack said as he plopped in the sand with a grunt of pain. It took Mac a long minute to realize Jack held an umbrella over both of them. Mac snarled in anger and slapped it out of the older man's hand. He hopped to his feet, grabbed it and threw it into the churning waves.

"Leave me alone!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. Mac turned and ran-directly into the deadly surf.

"Son of a bitch!" Jack screamed as he painfully hobbled to his feet. He expected some sort of reaction from Mac, but that had surprised him. Jack skinned out of his Jeans as he hopped to the surf. He couldn't see Mac admit the white foam spewing wildly in the air, "MAC!" He screamed. Jack winced at the chill of the water but dove against the waves. He paused huffing for air and spitting water. The shore was a lot farther than he thought it should be. He realized he was caught in the strong rip tide.

Shit! Jack desperately spun. He thought he saw something more white than the foaming surf. He grunted with effort as he swam toward it at an angle. Jack was stiff with fatigue and took in more water than air when he saw Mac. Mac's head was barely above water and his arms flailed. It wasn't until Jack reached his side, he realized the younger man was screaming in rage and trying to beat the crap out of the ocean. Jack supposed it would be therapeutic if they weren't about to die. Mac blindly spun and tried to punch Jack. Jack ducked under the water and came up grabbing Mac around the chest. Mac thrashed as if Jack was a sea creature dragging him to Davy Jone's sock draw.

"Will you stop already!" Jack yelled in Mac's ear. Mac howled and tried to pull free.

"Leave me alone!" It was a sob more than yell of rage.

"No! Now shut up or we're both gonna drown." Mac stilled. Jack could feel the blonde's chest heave. Jack didn't know if it was sobs or the kid fighting for air. Jack angled them parallel to the beach moving with the rip tide instead of against it. He dragged Mac who dangled from his grip like dead meat.

"You still alive, brother? I'd hate to go through all this effort for you to die. Bad enough I'm gonna owe Matty for the umbrella you tossed in the drink." Jack paused letting the waves take them for a minute. He turned to look at Mac. The kid's exhaustion had caught up with him. He stared at the sky with eyes hollow of anything good.

"Aw, kiddo." Jack said again brushing Mac's mop of drenched hair away from his face the color of fading smoke. Jack pulled him closer and pushed them. Black spots were bubbling across his own vision when he felt his knees hit sand. Jack grimaced as they were caught in a spinning wave and spilled face first onto dryish land. Jack coughed out the briny taste of mother nature's wrath and dragged Mac above the high tide land. Jack blinked against the sting of salt and took in where they were. His eyes widened. He couldn't see the beach he'd left Bozer in the car. They had ended up surrounded by rocks. Jack shivered. Mac's lips had an unhealthy tinge. Jack smiled. A trio of giant rocks made a natural overhand big enough for both of them if they snuggled close. Jack cried out as he hauled Mac to his feet and half carried, half dragged the kid into the tiny cave.

The inside was lined with old beer cans, cigarette butts and graffiti. Jack shrugged. He pulled Mac close and gathered the cigarette buts he emptied the cans until he got one that smelled the most like beer. Jack rolled Mac until he felt the SAK. He pulled it out ignoring Mac's garbled complaint. Jack cut off the lid of the can, filled it with yellowed clump of sea grass and sparked a rock until it caught on fire. He grinned at Mac, only to find the blonde out cold. He finally does a cool MacGyver thing and Mac isn't awake to see. Typical. Jack sighed and plants the can in the sand between them. It wouldn't do much to keep them warm, but it would act as a signal. When they didn't return, Bozer would be calling in the Marines.

Jack turned to Mac and pulled him closer. He rubbed the kid's cold arms and legs. Mac moaned and slowly lifted his head. He blearily looked around them, but his groggy eyes didn't come in to focus for awhile. Jack wrapped the kid to his side and gently ran his hands through the kid's stringy hair. He could feel Mac's muscles tighten and coil as the blonde woke up. Jack tightened his grip. He'd be damned if he went chasing his brother again.

Mac bolted awake cracking his head solidly against rock. Mac cried out and ducked rubbing his head.

"Ouch, you ok?" Mac jumped. The voice was less than an inch from his ear. He took in his surroundings and tried to crawl out of the small stone shelter. Mac winced at the tightness of Jack's grip. He squirmed with the need to run.

"Will you stop already? I am too tired to pull you out of the jaws of death again." Mac froze at the genuine tiredness and pain in Jack's voice. Mac turned away trying not to lean on his partner. Jack huffed and pulled Mac closer. Mac bristled, "Stop it, Mac!" The crack of Jack's Delta voice stopped Mac's struggle. It was the same tone Jack used when Mac was about to do something stupid that would get them both killed. Mac raised his knees and buried his face in his arms. He flinched at Jack's gentle touch as the older man rubbed his back.

"Don't do that." Mac demanded.

"Why not? You're freezing."

"So're you."  
"My point exactly." Jack waited for the eye roll, the huff of exasperation at his blatant non logic. His heart sank when he got neither. Jack sighed.

"Mac, you have to stop this. You did nothing wrong." He could feel Mac's sides heave and realized the kid was crying. Jack grunted as he sat up. He awkwardly hunched by his partner and pulled the kid closer. Mac resisted but Jack was determined. Mac slumped back.

"Leave me alone." He moaned wiping tears from his face. Mac kept his face turned away.

"Not going to happen, brother. You have nothing to beat yourself up for. You know I would have made the same choice with or without you." Jack frowned as he felt Mac stifen, "What's up? Talk to me kiddo." Mac picked up a beer can and absently tugged off the pull top. He threw the can out in the storm and stared at it as it danced helpless in the wind and rain. Mac bent and fiddled with the pull tab. Jack reached over and put his hand over Mac's. Mac twitched and tried to run again. Jack dug his fingers deeper into Mac's shoulders. Mac winced but made no other complaint.

"Talk to me, Mac." The gentle love in Jack's voice broke him. Mac turned to Jack his eyes in more tumult than the raging ocean they'd survived.

"I killed you."

"You lost me, brother. I'm here, I'm fine." Mac closed his eyes and wiped his face.

"Thanks to Riley. I...I…" Mac broke off turning away again. He began to dig furiously with the pull tab. A light bulb lit up over Jack's head. He rubbed his eyes trying to think of what to say.

"I know, brother. You did." Mac's head whipped around. Even though he felt the self revulsion to his core, hearing Jack agree hurt. Jack grabbed Mac's arm and squeezed until Mac met his gaze.

"I know, because there was no other way for you to choose something like that. You had to do the cold hard math and let me go to save Bozer. You did the right thing." Mac's eyes flooded again.

"I'm sorry, Jack." Jack pushed hair away from Mac's bone white face.

"I know, kiddo. I'm sorry too. If anybody failed, it was me." Mac's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to protest. Jack covered his mouth.

"We all feel bad about the situation, kiddo. You think you're the only one who feels guilty?" Mac deflated.

"You're right, I'm being selfish." Mac looked down. Jack narrowed his eyes. How the hell did Mac come up with that take away?

"What? NO, that's not what I'm saying at all."

"It was his first time...and instead of helping him deal with it, I'm…" Mac waved around him. He leaned forward and scraped sand off his foot, "I'm such a child." He murmured. Jack sighed and leaned back wincing and shifting his side. He was relieved when Mac didn't seem to notice.

"You are a kid, Mac, but you were never a child." Mac wrinkled his brow.

"What?"

"You heard me. As for Bozer, I think he's handling this better than you are. Of course, he is worried about you, we all are."

"You don't have to worry about me, I'm-"

"-NOT fine." Mac glared at Jack but didn't argue. Jack took that as a win. They both listened to the power of the roiling storm and stared into the tiny friendly flame between them. Mac let out a deep breath and leaned back. Jack tugged him closer. Mac didn't have any fight left in him.

"I'm sorry, Jack." He whispered his eyes suddenly heavy. Jack ran a hand through his partner's hair.

"I know, brother. It sucked all 'round." Jack smiled as Mac nestled closer, his head over Jack's heart. He could feel his partner relax. Jack felt as if a ton of weight fell off his own shoulders.

"No…" Mac mumbled. Jack frowned.

"Wha-?"

"Sorry 'bout...the 'brella." Mac's voice was thick with fatigue. Jack chuckled.

"It's ok. Tell you what, you tell Matty exactly why you felt the need to toss her super-expensive umbrella into the drink and face the repercussions and we'll call it even." Mac hummed.

"'K." Jack felt his heart bulge with affection.

"I love you, brother." He murmured. Mac hummed. Jack leaned back closing his eyes. The waves seemed more soothing than angry. Jack felt himself drift off into a calm sea of contentment.


End file.
